LOS ANGELES — A California jury on Tuesday convicted a judge of fatally shooting his wife after an argument at their Anaheim Hills home in 2023, the district attorney’s office said.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson was convicted of second-degree murder around six weeks after an earlier jury deadlocked 11-1 in favor of a guilty verdict, leading to a mistrial. The case was re-tried, resulting in Tuesday’s conviction.
Ferguson, 72, shot his wife, Sheryl, on Aug. 3, 2023, but said the shooting was accidental.
Prosecutors said he shot her in the chest with a .40-caliber Glock handgun while he was drunk during an argument over money. He then texted his court bailiff that, “I just lost it. I just shot my wife,” prosecutors said.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said the murder case was emotional because he has known Ferguson and his wife for three decades, and their adult son since since he was a child.
“Jeff Ferguson took the life of Sheryl. He took her strength, he took her body, he took her will to live and crushed it,” Spitzer said after the guilty verdict.
During the trial, it was revealed that Ferguson drank alcohol at lunch and then returned to hear cases.
Spitzer said his office will review cases that have been adjudicated by Ferguson while he may have been under the influence of alcohol, or where something inappropriate may have occurred.
“That system is being set up as we speak,” Spitzer said.
Ferguson has been a superior court judge since 2015, and before that was an Orange County deputy district attorney for more than 30 years.
Ferguson’s attorney, Cameron J. Talley, said that they respect the jury’s decision but disagreed with it.
“The jury made its statement, we respect that,” Talley said. “At the same time, we still believe in Jeff Ferguson. We believe that he is not guilty, and there will be an appeal in this case.”
Ferguson faces up to life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for June 13.
